burgess



Jan. 21, 1964 J. v. BURGESS, JR 3,118,363

MINE VENTILATION CONTROL SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 2. 1961 IN V EN TOR. JAMES V. BURGESS, JR. lahej/ TMK v %ae z&

ATTO RNEYS United States PatentO 3,118,363 MINE VENTILATIGN CONTROL SYSTEM .l'ames V. Burgess, Jr., Mine Ventilations Systems Inc., Box 382, Madison, W. Va. Fiied Oct. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 142,160 2 Claims. (Cl. 98-50) The present invention relates to a mine ventilation control system and more particularly to a structure for supporting extended sheets of fire-resistant gas impervious materials within mine shafts as line curtains, check curtains, solid stoppings, and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to produce a structure which may be utilized for supporting mine ventilation sheeting material within a mine.

Another object of the invention is to produce a supporting structure for mine ventilation sheet material between the mine floor and roof which may be readily and easily assembled in any desired location within the mine.

Still another object of the invention is to produce a supporting structure for mine ventilation sheet material which is adjustable for accommodating various dimensions between the roof and floor of the mine.

Still a further object of the invention is to produce a structure for supporting mine ventilation sheet material between the floor and roof of the mine which is easily and economically manufactured.

A further object of the invention is to produce a structure for supporting mine ventiiation sheet material which can be used in one location and then simply removed and installed in another location as many times as desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention when considered in light of the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational View of the invention installed in a mine;

FIG. 2 is an elevational View of the structure of the invention wherein two adjacent supporting structures are interconneeted by a board member;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FG. 4 is an elevational View of the invention shown in FIG. 1 partly in section;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view partly in section showing one of the supporting structures in its collapsed position;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the structure shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the invention taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional View of the invention taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

invention taken along Referring to die drawings, there is shown a mine I shaft M being closed by a transversely extending curtain or sheet 19 of re-resistant gas impervious material, such as, for example, polyvinyl chloride. The sheet 10 is supported between a pair of spaced supporting assemblies 12 which extend between the floor and the roof of the mine shaft M. Since the supporting assemblies 12 are identical with one another, reference will be made to only a single one of them in describing the structural details thereof.

The supporting assemblies 12 consist of an outer tubular member 14 and an inner tubular member 13. The inner tubular member 18 is of an appropriate cross-sectional dimension and configuration to readily slide within the hollow interier of the outer tubular member 14. Although reference is made through the description that the members 14 and 18 are tubular, it will be appreciated that these elements may assume any desired cross-sectional configuration so long as the inner member may ,spike-like element tion 42 of the inner tubular member 18.

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slide or telescope within the outer member. The outer member 14 is provided at its lower end with a pair of apertures 16, shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, for receiving a pin 22 as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter. The inner tube 13 is provided with a plurality of apertures 20 which are arranged to extend through the entire tube. Also, at the lower end of the tubular member 14 is a fastener 26 which is attached to one end of a chain 24, the other end of which is Secured to the pin 22.

It will be appreciated that the relative position of the members 14 and 18 can be varied to the desired position at which the apertures 16 in the outer tube 14 and the aperture 20 in the inner tube 18 are in alignment, and then the pin 22 is inserted therethrough to maintain this relative position. Accordingly, it can be seen that the supporting elements 12 can be lengthened or Shortened to roughly accommodate the distance between the floor and roof of the mine section M by varying the relative positions of the tubular members 14 and 18.

The upper end of the outer tubular member 14 is provided with a roof-engaging portion 28 having an upwardly extending pointed end or spike-Iike element 30 and laterally extending sheet engaging hook 43. The 39 is adapted to penetrate the material which comprises the roof of the mine to positively ix the upper end thereof during periods when the supporting elements 12 are in actual use.

The lower end of the inner tube 18 is provided with an inwardly extending bore 32 having slots 34 formed in the side walls of the bore 32. The bore 32 is adapted to receive one end of a floor-engaging shaft 36, the outer end of which is provided with a pointed or spike-like end 38 for engagement with the floor of the mine section M in which the device is intended for use. The opposite end of the floor-engaging spike shaft 36 is provided with a transversely extending pin 40 which is adapted to move within the confines of the slot 34, thereby limiting the upward and downward movement of the shaft se within the tubular member 18. A helical spring element 41 surrounds the outwardly extending portion of ,the

shaft 36 and is eifective to constantly urge the shaft 36 toward its most outwardly extended position as clearly shown in FIG. 6. It will be appreciated that the lower end of the spring element 41 engages a hook carrying collar 49 while the other end of the spring 41 engages the end of the inner tubular member 18.

The lower end of the inner tubular member 18 is provided with an enlarged portion 42 forming a shoulder at its upper portion. A handle-like attachment 44 having an integral angular collar 46 is adapted to surround the outer surface of the inner tubular member 18. In the collapsed position of the assembly, as is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, it will be seen that the collar &6 rests against the shoulder formed by the enlarged por- A threaded fastener 48 is provided in the collar 46 to enable the handle-like attachment 44 to be vertically positioned at different levels when the assembly 12 is being used. As will be more clearly explained hereinafter, the handlelike attachment 44 is useful for carrying the individual assemblies 12 from one position to another within the mine area and also provides a means for supporting a transverse support element 47 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, which may typically be a 2 X 4- wooden 'board or the like.

In operation, assuming that a solid stopping is desired within a mine shaft M as shown in FIG. l, one of the assemblies 12 is initially positioned adjacent the edges or side walls of the mine section to be closed. Initially, the assembly 12 is carried to the desired position generally in its collapsed position and is then opened to the approximate height of the mine section. The inner tubular member 18 is pulled outwardly from the outer tubular member 14 to the desired position where a pin reeeivmg aperture 20 of the inner member 18 is aligned with the pin receiving aperture 16 in the outer member 14. W th the apertures 16 and 20 in alignment, the pn 22 s nserted therein to fix the relative position of the inner and outer members 18 and 14, respectively. Next, the ponted end 38 of the floor engaging shaft 36 is forced into the floor material of the mine at the desired position while simultaneously placing the helical spring element 41 under tension and then the assembly is allowed to move up- Wardly under the force of the spring 41 to cause the spike 30 at the opposite end of the assembly to engage the material at the roof of the mine. When each of the individual assemblies 12 are positioned, the sheet 10 of fire-resistant gas impervious sheet material is Suspended between the spaced assemblies. The top portion of the sheet 10 may be provided with grommets or the like which are adapted to be slipped over the upper hook members 48 on the upper collar 28. Likewise, the bottom portion of the sheet 10 s provided with grommets or the like which may be fitted over the lower hook 49. Manifestly, in certain instances, the bottom marginal edge ot' the sheet 10 may be provided with a weight which is sufiicient to hold the sheet 10 in the desired position.

In the event of a considerable pressure differential between the front and back surfaces of the sheet 10, the handlc-like assemblies 44 are swung into the position shown in FIG. 2 and a wooden board member 47 is positioned within the handles 44 to provide a further support for the sheet 10 to prevent undesired displacement of the sheet.

It will be appreciated that the assemblies 12 may be used or supporting line curtains, check curtains, and the like, as well as solid stoppings as described hereinabove. When the assemblies 12 are used for supporting line curtains, they are placed at spaced intervals extending away from the working face of the mine to the area where the uncontaminated air supply is available. Then the curtain material is attached to the hooks of the assemblies 2 in the manner described.

In accordance with the provisons of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and mode of operation of my invention and have illustratecl and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope 4 of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In a mine ventilation control system including an extended sheet ot' fire-resistant gas impervious material disposed between the floor and roof of the mine and supported at least by a pair of vertically extending support elements, the improvement consstng of said support elements, each comprising at least a pair of telescopng members, means for selectively positioning one of said members within the other of said members, a roof-engaging spike Secured to one end of said members, a fioor-engaging spike attached to one end of the other of said members, spring means associated with one of said members for urging one of said spikes longitudinally outwardly, means on said members for releasably securing said sheet of fireresistant gas impervious material and means attached to one of said telescoping members for receiving a transverse substantially horizontally disposed support extending between adjacent ones of said support elements.

2. In a mine ventilation control system including an extended sheet of re-resistant gas impervious material disposed between the floor and roof of the mine and supported at least by a pair of vertically extendng support elements, the improvement consisting of said support elements, each comprising an elorgate outer tubular member and an inner member dsposed in telescoping rclation therein, means for selectively positionng said inner member within said outer member, a first axially cxtending supporting spike attached to one end of the outer member, a second axially extending supporting' spike slidably attached to the outwardly extending end of said inner member, spring means for urging said sldable spike outwardly, means on said members for releasably securing said sheet of fire-resistant gas mpervious material and means attached to one of said telescoping members for receiving a transverse support extending between adjaccnt ones of said support elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 527,273 Fowler et al. Oct. 9, 1894 833,557 Snyder et al Oct. 16, 1906 1,594,921 Barnett Aug. 3, 1926 2,590,958 Goodrich Apr. 1, 1952 

1. IN A MINE VENTILATION CONTROL SYSTEM INCLUDING AN EXTENDED SHEET OF FIRE-RESISTANT GAS IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL DISPOSED BETWEEN THE FLOOR AND ROOF OF THE MINE AND SUPPORTED AT LEAST BY A PAIR OF VERTICALLY EXTENDING SUPPORT ELEMENTS, THE IMPROVEMENT CONSISTING OF SAID SUPPORT ELEMENTS, EACH COMPRISING AT LEAST A PAIR OF TELESCOPING MEMBERS, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY POSITIONING ONE OF SAID MEMBERS WITHIN THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS, A ROOF-ENGAGING SPIKE SECURED TO ONE END OF SAID MEMBERS, A FLOOR-ENGAGING SPIKE ATTACHED TO ONE END OF THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS, SPRING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF SAID MEMBERS FOR URGING ONE OF SAID SPIKES LONGITUDINALLY OUTWARDLY, MEANS ON SAID MEMBERS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING SAID SHEET OF FIRERESISTANT GAS IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL AND MEANS ATTACHED TO ONE OF SAID TELESCOPING MEMBERS FOR RECEIVING A TRANSVERSE SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SUPPORT EXTENDING BETWEEN ADJACENT ONES OF SAID SUPPORT ELEMENTS. 